Hand-setting device for clocks.



I 0. M. TODD.

HAND SETTING DEVICE FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED APR 1, I915- Patented May 9,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I O. M. TODD.

HAND SETTING DEVICE FOR CLOCKS.

Patented May 9, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Ema/14 :0;

OJi LTdd.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1, 1915- UNITED STATES PATENT onmcn.

ORA M. TODD, OF TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON.

Application filed April 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORA M. Tom), acitizen of the United States, residing at Toppenish, in the county of Yakima and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Setting Devices for Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in secondary clocks of the type in which aplurality of secondary or auxiliary clocks are controlled and operated electrically by a single controlling master clock.

More specifically, this invention is a continuation in partof my copending application for improvements in electrically operated auxiliary clocks, filed August 7 1914 and bearing the Serial No. 855,674.

The primary object of my present invention consists in the'provision of a novel means for setting auxiliary clocks of the above described type, such means being electrically operated and arranged in such a manner that all of the auxiliary clocks controlled by a master clock can be simulta neously set.

In this connection, a still further object of my invention consists in providing electro-magnets arranged to draw the hour hands of the clock into pro-per position upon the closing of a controlling circuit through themagnets at a proper time.

A further object of my invention consists in utilizing a branch or'parallel circuit of the main clock controlling circuit as the setting circuit of the system and in providing a single manually operable switch which may control both circuits, being capable of selectively closing either circuit.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagranr matic view, illustrating a pair of auxiliary clocks connected in circuit with a master clock operated circuit closer; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the clockworks proper; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the clock illustrating the hand setting mechanism; Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3-; Fig. 5

Specification of Letters Patent.

HAND-SETTING DEVICE FOR CLOCKS.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Serial No. 18,589.

is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the circuit closer which is operated by the master clock to make and break the controlling circuit of the auxiliary clocks.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In order to insure a clear understanding of my invention, I will first describe the construction of the auxiliary clocks employed in my system. Each clock includes an annular body portion 10 carrying a dial l1 and clockworks 12 supported at the rear of the clock body by radially extending bracket arms 13 secured at their outer ends to the frame plate 14 of the clockworks.

Referring more specifically to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the works of the auxiliary clock are shown as supported in an opencasing, including the rear casing plate 14 and forward casing plate 15, the two being maintained in spaced relation by tie bolts 16 extending through spacer sleeves 17. A shaft 18 is journaled in the plates let and 15 and carries, at the rear of the plate 141, a toothed wheel 19. This shaft also carries a pinion 20 meshing with a toothed wheel 21 carried by a second shaft- 22. A second pinion 23, carried by the shaft 22, meshes with a toothed wheel 24: carried by a shaft 25, which shaft extends through the dial 11 of the clock and carries the minute hand 26.

The shaft 25, immediately in advance of the front casing plate 15, carries a pinion 27 meshing with a toothed wheel 28 carried by a stub shaft 29 which also carries a pinion 30 meshing with a toothed wheel 31 carried by a sleeve 82 which is rotatable upon the shaft 25, projecting at one end throughthe dial 11 to'rec'eive the hour hand The shafts 1-8 and 22 are both rotatably mounted and their toothed wheels and pinions are keyed or otherwise fixed to the respective shafts. On the other hand, the toothed wheel 28 and pinion 30 are preferably united to each other and mounted to turn idly upon the stud, shaft 29, while the gear 24 of the shaft 25 is frictionally mounted upon its shaft in such a manner .as to normally turn the shaft but to be free gears of the shafts 18 and 22 and may, therefore, be set in a manner whlch will be later explained. The gear ratios of the train of gears 27 to 31 is such that the hour hand will move only one-twelfth as fast as the minute hand.

Secured to the rear face of the plate 14, adjacent the toothed wheel 19, is a bracket 34 carrying a shaft which inv turn carries a pinion 36 meshing with the toothed wheel 19. A supporting lever 37 is pivoted intermediate its length as shown at 38 upon the plate 14 and swingingly connected to this lever, adjacent one end, is a pawl 39 adapted to engage the teeth of the pinion 36. This pawl is so arranged as to constantly hang in engagement with the teeth of the pinion in such a manner that depression of that end of the lever carrying the pawl will cause it to turn the pinion through such an angle as to advance the toothed wheel 19 a distance equal to the space between adjacent teeth of such wheel. An armature 40 is rigidly fixed to one end of a hanger arm 41, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected to the lever 37 at that end opposite the pawl 39, this armature co-acting with an electro-magnet 42 supported by a bracket 43 carried by the casing of the clockworks.

The armature is normally held in spaced relation above the electro-Inagnet, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, by means of a relatively light helical spring 44, one end of which is connected to the opposite end of the supporting lever 37 and the other end of which is connected to the shank terminal of an adjusting screw 45 having a milled head 46, this adjusting screw being threaded through a bracket 47 carried by the body portion 10 of the clock, As will be readily apparent, the tension of the spring 44 may be readily adjusted by proper regulation of the adjusting screw 45 to insure proper supporting of the armature 40. Wires 48 and 49 lead from the terminals of the electromagnet 42 to binding posts 50 and 51, respectively, carried by the body portion 10 of the clock, and, if such body portion is formed of metal, suitably insulated therefrom.

Having thus described the construction of the auxiliary clock proper, I will now explain the construction of the circuit closer employed in opening and closing the circuit of the electro-magnet 42 and also the manner in which such circuit closer is opened and closed by the master clock.

Referring more specifically to Fig. 5 of the drawings for the circuit closer construction, it will be seen that a base 52 of insulating material is provided adjacent each end with binding posts 53 and 54 of any suitable type. This base, which is preferably rectangular in shape, is cut-away centrally to provide oppositely inclined faces 55 to receive the L-shaped brackets 56 in the upwardly directed arms of which are threaded contact screws 57 having platinum contact points 58. This arrangement of the brackets positions the screws with their contact points directed toward each other and each at a slight downward angle toward the base. It will of course be clear that either or both of the screws 57 may be readily adjusted in order to properly space the two apart. The screws 59, which secure the brackets 56 in place, also serve as binding posts, being connected by a wire 60, while a wire 61 leads from one of them to the binding post 54. The base of the circuit closer, midway between the brackets 56, is provided with a vertically disposed bracket 62 forked at its upper ends to provide bearings for a shaft 63 carrying a balance wheel 64. Soldered or otherwise secured to the outer peripheral face of this balance wheel are the diverging lingers 65, these fingers lying in the plane of the balance wheel. The diametrically opposite portion of the balance wheel is provided with an extension or finger 66 carrying platinum contact points 67 for engage ment by the contact points 58 of the contact screws 57. A wire 68 leads from the bracket 62, which, of course, is in electrical connection with. the balance wheel 64 and its contact points 67, to the binding post 53. The balance wheel 64 is so balanced that it is normally held with either one or the other of its contact points 67 in engagement with the corresponding contact point 58.

Referring again to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the above described circuit closer is positioned within the case 69 of the master clock 70, which clock may be of any desired pendulum type. The free end of the pendulum 71 of this clock is provided with a finger 72 adapted to engage the fingers of the balance wheel. The circuit closer is, of course, placed in the case in such a manner as to bring the fingers in the plane of the pendulum and in the path of the finger 72. Furthermore, the fingers 65 of the balance wheel and the finger 72 of the pendulum are so proportioned that only that In order to provide means for setting the auxiliary clock, the body portion 10 of the clock is'recessed, as shown at 73, directly above the twelve oclock inscription upon the dial plate, to receive an electro-magnet 74, one terminal of the core of which is extended to a'point directly-in line with the free terminal of the minute 'hand of the clock, as sho'wn at 7 5, theupper peripheral edge of the "dial being cut-away as shown at 76 to seatthis terminal and theterminal itself being provided with "a diametrically extending slot 77 through w l'iich'tlie free end 'of the minutehand may pass. If de sired, the opposite-end of "the core of this electro-ma net ma have a terminal 7 8 the free end of which extends at the rear of the dial in somewhat spaced relation'to the terminal to strengthen and enlarge the field of magnetism. This however, is not necessary. Wires76 lead from'the terminals or this electro-magnet to binding posts 77 and 78. It will be clear that when this electromagnet is energized, assuming that the minute hand is in relatively close proximity to the twelve oclock hour inscription, it will be attracted by the pole 75 of the magnet and drawn upwardly to seat directly in the center of the slot without, however, touching the magnet pole itself.

Under ordinary circumstances, one master clock will be employed to control a number of auxiliary clocks by means of a common circuit opened and closed by the circuit closer, previously described. The setting of all the auxiliary clocks will also be controlled by a branch circuit of the main circuit which in turn is closed by a manually operable switch, as will be later explained. The preferred arrangement of circuits for a system such as this is illustrated in Fig. 1, in which a wire 79 leads from one pole of a battery 80 to a swingingly mounted switch arm 81, the free terminal of which,is movable to selectively engage either the fixed contact 83 or a second fixed contact 8 1, as preferred. It will of course be clear that the switch blade 81 may be swung out of engagement with both of the fixed contacts, if desired. A wire 85 leads from the fixed contact 83 to the binding post 53 and a wire 86 leads from the binding post 54 past all of the auxiliary clocks which the clock 70 is to control. Branch wires 87 lead from the wire 86 to the binding post 51 of each auxiliary clock and wires 88 lead from the binding posts 50 to a wire 89 forming a common return wire to the other terminal of the battery 80. A wire 90 leads from the fixed contact 84 to the binding post 77 of one of the auxiliary clocks and a wire 91 leads from the binding post 78 of another of the auxiliary clocks to the common return wire 89. A wire 92 connects the free binding posts 78 and 79 of these two clocks, or in case a still larger number of auxiliary clocks are in the system, a number of wires 92 are connected between them in such a manner that the electro-magnets 74 of all the clocks are connected in series.

From the foregoing description, taken in be clear that as many auxiliary clocks may be controlled bythe master clock as desired and that they may be located at any distance from the master clock, in different parts of a building or in different buildings. It will further be understood that the clockworks of the auxiliary clocks will have their toothed wheels and pinions so proportioned as to turn the hands at the proper rate of speed, dependent upon the type of master clock employed, that is, upon the rate at which the pendulum of the master clock swings.

Each time the pendulum 71 of the master clock swings from one extreme limit of its movement to the other, the circuit closer, which is normally closed, will be momentarily opened and then closed again, the result being that the electro-magnets 42 of all the auxiliary clocks in the system will be intermittently deenergized to co-act with the springs 41 and cause an intermittent swinging of the supporting levers 37 and consequent turning of the pinions 36 and remaining toothed wheels and pinions of the clockworks to turn the hands at the proper speed. It will of course also be clear that all of the auxiliary clocks may be cut out of the system simultaneously by completely opening the manual switch 81, which switch may be located at any convenient point.

In order to set the clock, the circuit through the wires 79, 90, 76, 92 and 89 is momentarily closed by means of the manually operable switch 81. One switch, therefore, serves as a controlling switch for both the clock energizing circuit or main circuit and for the setting circuit. The clocks should only be set at an even hour at which time the minute hands of the auxiliary clocks should be close enough to the poles of the electro-magnets 74 to be attracted by such magnets when they are energized and therefore drawn into proper position. Obviously, the setting circuit should not be kept closed for any length of time as otherwise the movement of the minute hands of the clocks would be unduly retarded.

As a means for preventing over-movement of the gear 19 of my auxiliary clock, I provide a roller 93 mounted to turn upon the laterally directed terminal of a swinging arm 94: pivoted at its other end to the frame plate 14:. The peripheral face of this roller is grooved, as shown in Fig. 2, to engage the peripheral edge of the gear wheel 19 and the roller is held in frictional engagement with such gear wheel by means of a leaf spring 95 secured at one end to the plate 1a and bearing at its free end upon the intermediate portion of the arm 94.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A clock including a minute hand shaft, a minute hand carried by the shaft, an electro-magnet disposed adjacent the path of the minute hand and having a pole formed with a slot through which the minute hand is adapted to pass, and a normally open circuit for the electro-magnet.

2. A clock including a dial, a minute hand movable about the dial, an electro-magnet disposed adjacent the periphery of the dial and having a pole extending downwardly at the rear of the dial to engage against the rear face thereof, a second pole extending downwardly in advance of the dial andin the path of movement of the minute hand and formed with a slot through which the minute hand may pass, and a normally open circuit for the magnet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORA M. TODD. [L. s.] Vitnesses Roscoe MADDox, MARGARET BEAME.

Copiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

